I don't walk through the cookie aisle very often, but yesterday was one of those days and I came across Dare ALMOND cookies with 'pure almond extract' on the ingredient list and then their 'baked in a nut free/peanut free facility' disclaimer. We wouldn't buy them anyway, but red flags were raised in my head - contradicting information; could this mean the facility really isn't nut-free? I've sent an e-mail to Dare for clarification. If their extract isn't actually from almonds, they should state that on the package to prevent such confusion.

I looked into this a few years ago, and found (NOT through dare) that pure almond extract is often extracted from peach pits. I still avoid those cookies (although we use to eat them without issue) but trust the other simple pleasures ones.

I think some more investigation needs to be done. Anyone here with more experience on the matter care to call? I don't think I am asking the right questions. Or post a list of questions here and I'll gladly call and find out.

_________________anaphylaxis to tree nuts and peanuts; asthmatic, dairy intolerant, vegan
other family members allergic to to dairy, egg, peanut, peach, banana, sesame, environmentals

The almond extract used is made from apricot pits, which have the same flavour compounds as almond oil. There is no actual Almond proteins in this product.

Thank you again for your inquiry and we hope you will continue to enjoy Dare Foods products.

I have e-mailed them back to request this be made clear on the packaging to prevent further confusion. I can't be the only one who has called them on this! If they don't comply, couldn't it be a CFIA labelling issue? Saying something is what it isn't?

I also wonder if apricot and/or peach pits would be in the same nut family as almonds? (Oh, why does my brain over think things so much??)

_________________anaphylaxis to tree nuts and peanuts; asthmatic, dairy intolerant, vegan
other family members allergic to to dairy, egg, peanut, peach, banana, sesame, environmentals

According to the (CFIA)Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising > Chapter 4

Quote:

4.12 True, Real, GenuineTerms such as "true", "real", "genuine" and the like should be used with care. Such terms should not be used to describe foods or ingredients which are imitations or substitutes, nor should they be used in a manner which suggests that any product is an exclusively true, real or genuine article

Thank you, Susan. I have written an e-mail to the CFIA. I don't know if they can do anything, but the idea of almond cookies made in a nut-free facility, whether or not the extract contains nuts, doesn't sit well with me. Just imagine if someone brought these cookies to a party as a 'safe' snack (per the label). What would people say? Especially if it was outside call centre hours. We shouldn't have questionable 'nutty' ingredients on things that say they are nut and peanut free.

_________________anaphylaxis to tree nuts and peanuts; asthmatic, dairy intolerant, vegan
other family members allergic to to dairy, egg, peanut, peach, banana, sesame, environmentals

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